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Van Hughes and Jake Epstein Will Rock the U.S. in the American Idiot Tour

October 26th, 2011 | By Broadway.com Staff

There’s a new set of Idiots, and they’re coming to a city near you. Van Hughes will star as Johnny in the national tour of American Idiot, joined by Degrassi: The Next Generation star Jake Epstein as Will and Scott J. Campbell as Tunny. The show will also feature original Broadway cast member Leslie McDonel as Heather, Gabrielle McClinton as Whatsername and Nicci Claspell as The Extraordinary Girl. Featuring the songs of Green Day, the tour will premiere in Toronto on December 28. Casting for the role of St. Jimmy has yet to be announced.

Hughes comes to the national tour fresh off the Broadway production, which he concluded in the role of Johnny opposite Green Day frontman Billie Joe Armstrong as St. Jimmy. On Broadway, Hughes has also been seen in 9 to 5 and Hairspray. Epstein is best known for playing Craig in the Canadian television drama Degrassi: The Next Generation. On stage, Eptstein was seen as Tony in Billy Elliot and Melchior in Spring Awakening in both shows’ first national tours.

Campbell was seen on Broadway in Jersey Boys and has made appearances on TV’s White Collar. In addition to American Idiot, McDonel was in Hairspray on Broadway and the national tour of Legally Blonde. McClinton will make her national tour debut after performing in such regional shows as Hairspray, Annie, and The Music Man. Claspell is also making her national tour debut after performing in regional productions of Rent and Chicago.

Based on Green Day's Grammy Award-winning, multi-platinum album, American Idiot tells the story of three lifelong friends forced to choose between their dreams and the safety of suburbia. The rock musical features the songs “Boulevard of Broken Dreams,” “Wake Me Up When September Ends” and “Holiday.”

The show features some of Green Day’s most critically acclaimed songs as well as a book by Armstrong and Michael Mayer (Spring Awakening), who also directs. American Idiot is choreographed by Steven Hoggett and orchestrated by Tom Kitt. The tour will play 14 cities across the U.S., including Boston, Minneapolis, St. Louis, Tempe, Costa Mesa and Seattle.